Elders in Acts 11:30

As we look the biblical role of elders/overseers/pastors, we're not generally going to move in canonical order. The order of texts we study will be somewhat subjective based on perceived importance. That said, it does seem fitting to begin by looking at the first use of any of these terms for this role in the N.T.

(Read here for an explanation of this series.)

Because it is unwieldy to type and read "elders/overseers/pastors," from this point forward I'm simply going to use the term that is used in the biblical passage we are looking at.

Today's verse is Acts 11:30, where we read, "And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul."

In order to get a better feel for the verse, read Acts 11:19-30 .

What's going on here? The situation is actually very simple. Some prophets had come from Jerusalem to Antioch. Agabus, one of the prophets, told the church in Antioch that there was going to be a severe famine "throughout all the world." In response to this, each disciple in Antioch gave "according to his ability" to a relief fund of sorts that would be sent to the church in Judea. The church in Antioch sent this monetary gift by the hands of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.

This is the first mention of elders in the New Testament church.

When I read this passage, what initially strikes me is how simple and relatively sparse it is on information about elders. We might expect several verses that introduce the position of elder to us. Luke does not give this to us. He simply mentions "elders." It may be that Luke does this because he believes the readers already understand who elders are and what they do.

However, it may also be that Luke doesn't think elders are as important as we tend to think of them today. His language certainly does not imply that elders hold a very significant position in the church. Later bible passages will speak more about the importance of elders, but this one doesn't.

What can we glean about elders from this little passage? I think there are a few significant things.

1. Elders are part of the church. This may seem painfully obvious, but it is worth stating here at the beginning. The elders mentioned here were in Judea, which would include the leaders of the church in Jerusalem but other sections of Judea as well.

2. Elders are trustworthy and do not seek dishonest gain. We can assume that this would have been a substantial offering taken from Antioch (the exact amount is not significant). Barnabas and Saul would not take the money to simply anyone. They would give it to those who could be trusted. This suggests that elders should be men of godly character. Significantly, we see right from the beginning that character is more important than skill or experience when it comes to who elders should be (we see this very clearly in I Timothy 3:1-7).

3. Elders hold some type of leadership position. I think Luke at least implies that elders act as leaders of some type within the church. I hope I'm not reading this into the text (always a danger when we have traditions that cloud our vision). Luke does not define this leadership here. Luke does not say that the elders made the decision about how best to distribute the offering. He does not say any more about elders here. We are simply told that the money went to them.

4. Elders are not extremely significant to the life of the church. Please let me explain what I mean. In modern churches, we clearly see a clergy-laity divide which puts the pastor(s) on a pedestal. This is such a normal practice that it isn't usually questioned. Many people can't conceive of the church doing anything significant apart from the pastor(s) leading it. Luke does not imply that significance here at all. He simply mentions elders. If elders were extremely significant to the degree that the church couldn't function without them leading the way, then Luke certainly would have written more about their role. As we look at other passages, we'll see that elders are, in fact, significant. However, I think we'll see that their significance is both lesser and different than what we see in most modern churches today.

These are four aspects of the role of elders that I believe we can learn from this passage. What do you think? Am I off the mark anywhere (possibly)? Have I missed anything important (probably)?

Be Careful Which Tie You Choose

Just a bit of friendly advice: the next time you select a tie, make sure it doesn't have swastikas on it.

Just For Fun: The Play

On Elders/Overseers/Pastors in the Bible

My friend Alan has hinted several times that I should write about what I believe the pastoral role is from a biblical perspective. I don't think Alan worded it quite like that, but nevertheless I am going to try to tackle the issue.

We know from scripture that the terms "elder," "overseer," and "pastor" are used somewhat interchangeably to refer to a specific leadership role in the church. Even as I write that, I hesitate to use the term "leadership" because we almost immediately place our traditional and/or modern ideas of leadership onto what the bible is saying. Part of what I want to analyze is what type of leadership we are talking about. We've probably all seen some pastors lead from a sort of C.E.O. role. That clearly isn't biblical. So what is biblical? Who are elders/overseers/pastors? What do they do? How are they different from others in the church family? Why are they important?

These are the types of questions I hope to both ask and answer (with your help) over the next few weeks in a series of posts.

We are obviously going to be looking in scripture for our information. As much as I can, I hope to avoid cultural, traditional, and corporate influence upon this discussion of who elders/overseers/pastors are and what they do.

The method I'm going to follow is to look at specific verses/passages one-by-one to see what they say. I'm going to do this rather than ask a specific question and then find all the passages that deal with that question. The reason for this is that I want to avoid proof-texting as much as possible. Therefore, the method will be to look at one passage at a time until we've dealt with all important passages.

I plan to deal with passages that focus specifically on elders/overseers/pastors. Each verse or passage will contain the Greek word for elder (πρεσβυτερος), overseer (επισκοπoς), or pastor (ποιμενας).

I'm leaving out passages that do not specifically mention this role. Therefore, I may disregard some passages that some folks think are important. For example, I'm not going to address Hebrews 13:7 and 13:17. The reason is simple: elders/overseers/pastors are not mentioned. We read in those verses of "leaders," but we do not know that this is referring to elders/overseers/pastors. Another verse I'm ignoring is I Corinthians 9:14 because it does not apply to elders/overseers/pastors (only to traveling apostles and evangelists).

The first thing I want to do is put together a list of the verses/passages I'll be looking at. I've decided to blog about them in a somewhat subjective order. Instead of going in order according to the canon, I'm going to go through them so that those of most importance come first. In this way, a key passage like I Peter 5:1-6 will come toward the beginning instead of the end.

This is where I need your help! Below are the passages I'll be looking at. I'm sure that I have left out some important ones. Please comment by telling me of other passages that are important and need to be addressed. Thanks.

This is the list so far (this is not the order I will address the passages in; rather, this is simply my working list thus far in scriptural order):

Acts 11:30

Acts 14:23

Acts 15:1-6, 22-23, 16:4

Acts 20:17-35

Ephesians 4:11-16

Philippians 1:1

I Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9

I Timothy 4:14

I Timothy 5:17-22

James 5:14

I Peter 5:1-6

What have I left out? I want to be thorough is this discussion. Thanks for the help.

Another List: Good That Comes From Courting

Yesterday I blogged about the good that can come from dating while in high school (or younger).

Today's list focuses on the good that can come from courting in high school or later.

(For clarification, when I use the term "courting" I'm referring to the process of a male and a female purposely entering into an exclusive relationship in order to see if marriage is the correct course of action. Both sets of parents are actively involved in the courtship and work together to see if the relationship will be beneficial to all parties concerned. In my view, both the male and the female get veto-power. No forced marriages should happen.

This definition may sound dull, but the real process is much more exciting. Also, you may have a better definition. If so, please leave it in the "comments" section.)

This list is by no means exhaustive. If I have left out any obvious positives, please let me know.

The following list of ten good things that can come from courtships are in no specific order. As you can see, some are of the positive nature (what happens) while others are more negative (what doesn't happen).

1. Commitment is the focus instead of romantic feelings.

2. Romance comes after commitment, so there are far fewer instances of heartache.

3. Priorities can remain intact (God being number 1) without subjective feelings interfering.

4. Much discussion occurs of whether or not core values and expectations match up well.

5. Families get to know each other very well before the marriage takes place.

6. The process brings individual families closer together because the subject is so important and personal.

7. Temptation is at a minimum because there is little-to-no alone time for the couple early in the relationship. The early focus is on getting to know each other.

8. Time during the high school years can be concentrated on growing closer to God and growing in how to live in this world for Him. No time is wasted on "recreational dating."

9. There are few regrets by those involved in courting (it's not fail-safe, but it is much better than dating).

10. There is no "divorce practice." Since breakups don't occur during courting, those involved don't get accustomed to dumping and getting dumped. Ideally, the male and female end up marrying the first person they really care about.

This is not a perfect list. I'm sure I have left out some important things and/or written these in a manner that is not the best. However, I believe the primary themes are accurate. Some will call me "fundamentalistic," "old fashioned," or "less evolved than a cave troll." Nevertheless, courting is the much better way (better than dating) of bringing about the beginning of a joyful, godly marriage.

Interesting Commentary on I Corinthians 14:26-33

As I was looking through some of my books today, I happened upon William Barclay's commentary on I Corinthians (The Letter to the Corinthians, Westminster Press, 1975). I don't even know how this book ended up in my possession, but rather than ponder that, I decided to see what Barclay says about I Corinthians 14. In particular, I was curious about what he thinks about early church gatherings (read I Cor. 14:26-33 here).

Among other things, Barclay writes this on page 134,

"There was obviously a flexibility about the order of service in the early Church. Everything was informal enough to allow any man who felt that he had a message to give to give it. It may well be that we set far too much store on dignity and order nowadays, and have become the slaves of orders of service. The really notable thing about an early Church service must have been that almost everyone came feeling that he had both the privilege and the obligation of contributing something to it. A man did not come with the sole intention of being a passive listener; he came not only to receive but to give. Obviously this had its dangers, for it is clear that in Corinth there were those who were too fond of the sound of their own voices; but nonetheless the Church must have been in those days much more the real possession of the ordinary Christian. It may well be that the Church lost something when she delegated so much to the professional ministry and left so little to the ordinary Church member."

While I don't agree with all of Barclay's terminology ("service," "member"), I do appreciate his observations on what early church gatherings looked like. In particular, Barclay points out the flexibility, informality, and participatory nature of church meetings. Notice that Barclay writes of the gatherings that each man had "both the privilege and the obligation of contributing something to it."

What impact should the above information have on our church meetings today? What obligations do we as individuals have to bring something to our gatherings? Should we learn from the early church, or do we have freedom to do what we want to do?

Excellent Post on Bible Translations

My friend Alan at The Assembling of the Church has written an excellent and helpful post on bible translations. Specifically, Alan deals with the thorny issue of transliterations and how they impact what we believe the bible says. Frankly, I see transliterations as a sort of cop-out by the translation teams. If your going to translate the bible, then translate the entire thing.

A List of Good That Comes From Dating in High School (or Younger)

I've compiled a list below of the good that can come from dating in high school (or younger).

(For purposes of clarification, I'm talking about positive outcomes from a male and a female being involved in an exclusive, romantic relationship. I'm assuming that they are too young to get married within the next few years; if they intend to get married soon, then this may not apply.)

So here's the list:

1.

Well, I never made it past number 1. The reason for this is not lack of thought. In fact, I've pondered this issue quite a bit. I simply don't see any positive outcomes from dating while in high school. It may seem fun at the time, but the end result is usually heartache or worse for at least one of the parties involved.

More importantly, dating is nowhere modeled for us in scripture. When we look at the broad picture of what God wants from His followers, He gives some of them the joy of marriage. Others He blesses with singleness. Nowhere does God sanction or even hint at approving of multiple dating-style relationships.

Dating is a modern, secular idea. Of course society will embrace it. What is problematic is that so many Christians approve of and get involved in dating relationships without giving any thought to whether or not God approves of it.

Dating is a train wreck waiting to happen. The younger the people involved, the worse the problems. Let's say two Christian teens begin dating at age fifteen. Maybe they really like each other. Maybe they would even like to get married. The problem is that they are now "all dressed up with nowhere to go." They probably have intense feelings for one another that are very real. They may want to get married (with all that involves). However, unless they plan to get married soon, they will end up frustrated, tempted, or worse.

I implore you. Please think through the problems dating brings. The good is minimal at best, while the bad can be hugely devastating.

Let's try our best to think what God thinks about dating. Wait until you are old enough to marry, then ask God to find someone godly to be your spouse. Court that person, get married, and rejoice in Christ.

How's Our Family Doing?

In case you're interested, my wife Alice has written about both how and what our family is doing these days during this time of transition.

Interesting C.T. Article on Al Mohler

Christianity Today has an interesting article on Albert Mohler, president of SBTS. While I find some of the commentary and choice of vocabulary (such as "fundamentalist") a bit biased against Mohler, overall the facts presented make it worth the time it will take to read.

Wow!

Wow! I never thought I would see this anywhere. Amazing.

A New Blog Worth Looking At...

My friend Bobby Auner has begun blogging at Deconstructing Neverland. I enjoy Bobby because he asks hard questions and is willing to follow through with the answers. If his writing is anything like his living, he will not leave you comfortable (that's a good thing). Take a look.

A Change in Emphasis

When I began blogging in early 2007, we had just returned from South Asia. Our son Bobby was in the midst of chemotherapy treatments, and blogging seemed like a good way to talk about issues such as missions and suffering. These two topics were my two primary areas of interest for quite a while.

Over time, my emphasis gradually changed to where I was writing quite a bit about the sovereignty of God as it relates to not only salvation but also to all areas of life. I dealt quite a bit with Calvinism, Reformed Theology, The Doctrines of Grace, and the 5 solas. In part because I was raised in a Wesleyan-Arminian background, I now deeply cherish the truths of God's absolute sovereignty. These topics remain an interest for me, but they are no longer the primary focus of my blogging.

As is probably clear to all seven-or-so of you who regularly read this blog, I've changed my emphasis to a discussion of the church. While the above topics all relate in one way or another to the church, there is also much more to church life than those specific areas. In particular, I'm now frequently asking questions about why the church gathers, what we should do as we gather, what attitudes we should display when we gather, and what the purpose is of the gathering. Questions of this nature can seem annoying at times because they may cause us to squirm a bit, but in the end this is healthy.

What's the reason for the change in emphasis?

I suppose it stems from a combination of three things: A) attending a seminary where difficult questions related to the church are not generally asked or invited, B) being trained in international church planting and then living in South Asia for four months, and C) serving as pastor of a traditional SBC church for the past 2.5 years.

I enjoyed my time in seminary, but I remain a bit disappointed to this day in the assumptions the seminary makes about church life. The most cherished evangelical traditions (such as the big building, the salaried pastor, the worship service, the sermon, etc.) were almost never questioned.

After seminary, our family temporarily moved to Richmond, VA to attend missions training. We were instructed in international church planting methods. As we did this, we simply looked through the scriptures to see how churches were started and how they functioned. It was very refreshing. Tradition was discarded and scripture was allowed to speak.

This caused Alice and me to begin asking questions about why such a disconnect exists between churches here in the USA and churches being planted overseas. They almost looked like two totally different organisms.

After we returned from South Asia and survived chemotherapy, we believe God called me to serve as pastor of Chevis Oaks Baptist Church. I'm very grateful for the past 2.5 years. I have learned a great deal from my friends there, and I hope I have been a positive influence upon them. I have been a close-up witness to the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, the exciting, and the hum-drum of church life. Overall, it has been a good experience.

These three factors (seminary, international missions, and traditional church life) have caused me to ask many questions and strive for biblical answers as they relate to the bride of Christ: His church.

I now desperately want to be a part of church life as is described in the bible. I'm not suggesting a return to first century culture, but I strongly believe that the scriptures have given us all we need for church life. This is what I desire to live out on a daily basis.

Alice and I are excited to be planting a church in our home within the next couple of months. We are not exactly sure what this will look like. We have had many people express interest in being a part of it. In fact, if everyone visits who says they would like to, we will immediately be at capacity (our house is average size - not big).

We desire to gather according to the biblical model: in homes, enjoying the Lord's Supper as a full meal, holding participatory meetings, with everyone of all ages being together. I want to be part of a thriving, growing, edifying church family that strives to be the church according to what the bible tells us.

What's the purpose in all this? The simple answer: God's glorification through mutual edification.

An Annoying Little Question

Here's the question, "Why do we do things that we don't see in the bible?"

This little question makes us squirm because we all know that we all do things that we don't see in scripture. This pertains to us as individuals and as the church as a whole.

We do things that we are commanded not to do. We don't do things that we are supposed to do. We do things that are not modeled for us, while at the same time not doing other things that are modeled.

Why do we do this? Wouldn't it make a lot more sense as followers of Christ to act on what we see in the scriptures?

Some of the things that we do (or fail to do) are simply sin. When we violate what is commanded, we are sinning. Sin is lawlessness.

What about the things that are modeled for us but not commanded? This is where it gets a bit more difficult. Are we free to do what we don't see in the bible or not do what we do see (as long as it's not commanded)? Or, must we follow the scriptural model?

I have what may seem to be a simplistic answer. Despite this, I believe it is a good idea. Let's follow both what is commanded and what is modeled in scripture (in areas of life with any theological significance). When we do this, we can be certain that we are correct in what we are doing.

When we venture outside what is modeled, the best we can say is that we don't know whether or not we are correct. We might be pleasing God, but we might not. We simply cannot know.

Is that good enough? Is not knowing if we are pleasing God - either as individuals or as the church - acceptable? How can that be good enough?

Let's do what we know is pleasing to God. How? Follow what's commanded and modeled for us. It really is that simple.

Favorite Falls Foto

I love this photo from Niagara Falls. That's my daughter Mary and me standing at the base of the American Falls back in July. After going down an elevator on the Cave of the Winds Tour, we walked to the bottom of the falls. Yes, that is falls water splashing down our backs. Refreshing!

Gorgeous Double Rainbow

Thanks to Dave Black for sharing this amazing video of a double rainbow. "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." Psalm 19:1

"Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God"

(UPDATE: Buy it cheaper here.)

I like to think, but I'm not sure how much time I actually spend thinking about my thinking. This is what John Piper challenges us all to do in Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God.

Piper is correct that the use of the mind is directly related to both what we think about God and what we feel for God. He encourages us to think in such a way that honors God by causing us to cherish Him more deeply.

This book is somewhat philosophical in nature. The reason for this is that a good deal of it is thinking about thinking. This may sound dull, but it really isn't. Piper spends a great deal of time using scripture to make his points. Because of this, the book has direct application to how we live and think every moment of the day.

I've read about 25 or so of Piper's books. Quite honestly, some of them have seemed a little redundant. I don't need to read another book about how "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." I love that truth; I just don't want to read it another time. The good thing about Think is that it is unique among what Piper has written so far. I don't recall any other book of his that focuses so much on the mind. Because of this, I recommend this book.

On Divorce

Albert Mohler takes an excellent look at the evangelical church's view of divorce as it compares to other political-cultural issues such as abortion, homosexuality, etc. Mohler asks some good questions that should cause us to think.

God's Glorification Through Mutual Edification

"Why does the church come together?" This is a question that is not asked frequently enough, but when it is asked we know what the usual answer is: "worship." I suppose this is why so many larger churches have labeled the biggest room in their buildings the "worship center." (I wonder what happens in those places if anyone worships outside the "worship center"? Do they face church discipline?)

So, what is the point of the church coming together? When we throw off tradition and look to the bible, we see that mutual edification is the point of the gathering. For example, I Corinthians 14:26 says, "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification."

However, we also know that everything the church does, including gatherings, should be for the glory of God. Paul writes in Ephesians 3:21, "To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

So, does the church come together primarily for mutual edification or for God's glorification? The answer is "Yes."

When we come together as a church body, we should (according to Hebrews 10:24), "...consider one another in order to stir up love and good works." When we do this, we are building one another up. This is the essence of mutual edification.

As we mutually edify one another, God is glorified.

I believe the clearest passage dealing with this is I Peter 4:7-11. Peter discusses much "one-anothering" within the church body. We see that fervent love is the key motivator. We are to lovingly exercise our spiritual gifts for the edification of the church. When this occurs, God is glorified in Christ Jesus:

I Peter 4:7-11, "But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for 'love will cover a multitude of sins.' Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."

So from now on when I'm asked why the church gathers together, I'm going to give a simple five word answer:

"God's Glorification Through Mutual Edification"

Savannah is Due

This says Savannah is due for a hurricane. I'm glad God controls the weather.